thank you, Calphalon, for sponsoring this post!

I’ve been craving noodles more than normal lately. These days, I honestly haven’t been recipe testing as much as I usually do, instead my days are mainly spent writing emails, doing interviews for my cookbook release, sneaking in wedding planning sessions, and playing countless games of fetch in the yard with Olive. My breakfasts and lunches have been somewhat uninspiring because I simply don’t have as much time, so when dinner rolls around all I want to do is tuck into a big comforting bowl of saucy noodles. These peanut noodles are perfectly comforting and just the right balance of carbs to protein and veggies! I’ve made a version of them almost every week and it never gets old. This recipe is so versatile (more info on swaps below) and so quick and easy to make, especially if you have a large frying pan or wok (also loving my new Calphalon Nonstick Wok!).

Customize your Peanut Noodles

I made stir-fried peanut noodles with chicken and broccoli because I pretty much have chicken and broccoli in my fridge at all times. But that does not mean you have to make the exact same thing! The peanut sauce is rich and nutty, but some hoisin lends sweetness and rice vinegar provides some much needed brightness and acid. The flavors work with so many other proteins and vegetables. 

If chicken breast is not really your jam, you could use chicken thighs instead or swap in skirt steak or pork instead. For any meat substitute you should still marinate it in the same mix of cornstarch and oyster sauce because it will make your meat extra tender! For a vegetarian option you could fry up some cubed tofu and top the noodles with it or just leave out the meat completely. You do you.

Same goes for the broccoli. Asparagus would be excellent and so would peppers or carrots! If you find a combination that you really like I would love to hear about it!

Sequence of Events

Stir-frying is a quick and easy cooking method, but it does require some thoughtfulness when cooking each of the components. You don’t just dump everything in there at the same time. Each part of the stir-fry has a different cook time and that’s what you need to keep in mind. A wok is the perfect tool for stir-fries because it’s large enough to cook a lot of food and the high walls allow you to move ingredients to cooler spots (up the sides) and others to hotter spots (bottom) of the wok. I LOVE my Calphalon Nonstick Wok so much! It’s lightweight so I can easily work on my wok toss and it handles high heat super. Plus the nonstick cooking makes cleaning so easy! You can shop your own here and use the code KRISTINA25 for 25% off!

I typically like to cook my meat first so that it has some alone time to cook evenly and brown up nicely. Once it is nearly all the way cooked through, I’ll transfer it onto a plate and set it aside for later.

Next I cook the onions because they also need enough time to brown! Once I see some good color on the onions I’ll add the garlic and broccoli. Give everything a toss and continue to cook until the broccoli is at your desired doneness, I generally like my vegetables to still have a little but of crunch so this part only takes 4 to 5 minutes. Then the chicken goes back in and also the noodles! Give everything another toss and then pour in your sauce. At this point you can give it a taste and see if you want to adjust any flavors. To serve it up I like to garnish the noodles with some crushed peanuts and torn cilantro!

Stir-fried Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Broccoli

serves 4

8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp water

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tbsp cornstarch

16 oz thick wheat or egg noodles

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets and stems sliced thin

1/4 cup peanuts, crushed or chopped

Handful of torn cilantro

Sauce:

1/4 cup creamy, unsweetened peanut butter

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tbsp sambal

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2/3 cup water

steps:

1. Marinate the chicken: Slice chicken breast into thin strips and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add oyster sauce, water, white pepper, and cornstarch. Stir to combine. Cover and allow to marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Cook noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to their package directions. For fresh noodles it’s typically 2 to 3 minutes. Strain out the noodles and rinse under cold water.

3. Prep sauce: In a bowl, whisk to combine peanut butter, hoisin, rice vinegar, sambal, salt, and water.

4. Prepare stir-fry: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add remaining oil and add the onions. Cook until lightly brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and broccoli broccoli and cook until broccoli is at desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes (broccoli will still have a little crunch). Add the chicken back in and also the noodles. Toss and cook for another minute to warm the noodles. Pour the peanut sauce and toss until noodles are evenly coated. Serve with crushed peanuts and cilantro.